A Label That Makes Sense

America is a thirsty nation. Between 1950 and 2005, the U.S. population doubled, while our demand on water supplies more than tripled. Although water is relatively inexpensive, the cost to repair our nation’s aging water infrastructure, coupled with recent droughts in unexpected regions such as the Southeast, have made water efficiency the next big environmental challenge.
This increasing need to save water prompted EPA’s WaterSense program to develop the first national specification for water-efficient new homes in December 2009. It’s no coincidence that less than one month after the 2009 WaterSense Single-Family New Home Specification was released, Earth Advantage Institute named water efficiency as one of the top ten green-building trends for 2010.
Just as saving energy was the hot green-building issue of the past decade, water efficiency is becoming the newest concern for environmentally conscious home buyers. Home energy raters have already realized major business opportunities with increased demand for energy-efficient homes, but those who can conduct water efficiency home inspections will be well positioned to capitalize on this latest advancement in green building.
Don’t Forget the Great Outdoors
Because outdoor water use can account for 30% or more of a home’s water consumption, ...